Earthquake Engineering

The devastating effects of earthquakes to the built environment as well as the introduction of new stricter codes of practice necessitate the development of construction materials and techniques that can be used effectively for the seismic strengthening and upgrading of structures and buildings.

Research activities in this area include development of innovative techniques and materials for seismic strengthening, such as column confinement with FRP laminates and metal strapping (Figure 1), examination of the seismic behaviour of strengthened concrete frames, development of theoretical resistance-capacity models and earthquake risk assessment methodologies. Research collaborative work is also carried out on full-scale shaking-table testing of reinforced concrete frames (Figure 2).